1. Field of Invention
This invention is related to devices aimed to improve the efficiency and reduce consumption of energy and water, particularly in the utilization of hot water.
2. General Background of the Invention
Devices that seek to increase the efficiency in the consumption of hot water have been implemented in various ways throughout history.
Traditional combustion based water heaters for domestic, industrial and commercial use, as well as more modern solar and electrical ones are used on a daily basis. However, this utilization has failed to satisfy an increasing social awareness in ecological matters, given that their use is limited to the heating of water without tending to the increasing social need of economizing the cost and consumption of both, water and energy, in the process.
Within the everyday use of hot water required in the various domestic, industrial or commercial settings, for example in bathrooms, kitchens, etc. it has become customary to simply open the key or valve of the faucet and allow the cold or lukewarm water contained within the supply line to run until the temperature of the water coming out is high enough, only to then mix it again with colder water to balance the flow to the desired temperature. All the while, the whole of the water previously contained and running though the supply line before the flow reaches the user's desired temperature goes to waste in most cases, as it is seldom gathered in buckets to be subsequently used for sanitation, gardening, floors or patios cleaning and maintenance or other alternative applications. The volume of water wasted while the flow temperature rises to the desired point varies depending on the dimensions of the supply line. However, this amount is estimated to be of at least between 20 and 30 liters. As a matter of fact, some estimates reveal that a shower bath consumes between 60 and 150 liters of water, the most waste occurring in this case when maintaining the supply line open, for example, during the soaping stages. It is generally believed that if the keys are closed, it will be difficult to return to the desired water temperature. On the other hand, a shower bath could otherwise be completed with less than 20 liters of water.
Moreover, it is a common occurrence that when in a home or residence someone is taking a shower and another user opens a network key, the temperature of the service changes considerably, even to the point of being bothersome. For example, when flushing the toilet, the flow of cold water decreases in the network, drastically rising temperature of the person's shower head water.
Furthermore, the hot water contained in the heater, which supplies the service lines, is constantly being replaced by cold water. This process results in a significant drop in the water's temperature inside the heater, generating the need for increased energy use in order to recover the desired temperature.
Several studies have sought ways of reducing the large consumption of energy and water in these processes without meaningful results; some useful references to compare the present invention with prior technological or technical attempts at this include the following patents: The Chinese CN201680592 patent describes a water pre-heating device for a gas water heater, which takes advantage of the high combustion temperature to preheat the water from the tap, hence reducing water consumption.
In sum, the utilization of traditional combustion water heaters in domestic, industrial or commercial settings, even those referred to as tank-less, as well as more modern solar heaters have not been able to sufficiently improve the efficiency and cost effectiveness in the consumption of energy and water given that their storage capacity is restricted to their inner tank volume. This technical problem has not been resolved by prior art. Therefore, the invention described in this document proposes a device to maximize the efficiency and minimize costs in the utilization of water and energy in the water heating process comprising of a streamline manufacturing storage container, resulting in a low cost and easy production heavy-duty device.